High School 8-and-8: The MIAA

April 10th, a circled day for all Baltimore area lacrosse fans, marked the beginning of five weeks of MIAA conference play. Non-league play gave everybody a sneak peek of what is to come but more importantly, put several teams on a level playing field, specifically the top three of Calvert Hall, Gilman and Loyola. In the preseason, it looked as though Calvert Hall was in its own tier on top. That's no longer the case, and will make for an exciting year.

Note: My analysis doesn't qualify as current power rankings, but merely how I predict these teams will finish at the end of the regular season.

8 Teams to watch

1. Calvert Hall (7-1) - The Cardinals entered the season as our No. 1 team, garnering a nice little spread in the magazine. However, they were met on March 23rd by a well-rounded, powerful Conestoga (Pa.) squad, who bested the Hall, 11-10, unseating the Hall from the top spot. In the long run, this loss will likely be beneficial. The Cardinals are absolutely loaded from top to bottom but are working in an entirely new offense under assistant Dave Huntley. The attack features a pair of Top 50 seniors in Pat Kelly (North Carolina) and Ryan Brown (Johns Hopkins) as well as breakout junior Jordan Germershausen (UMBC). The midfield is strong when healthy, boasting Kelton Black (Johns Hopkins) and John Belz (Maryland). Heady senior Evan Connell (North Carolina) leads the backline along with Garrett Epple (Notre Dame), however both the goalie situation and the play itself has been shaky. If the Cardinals can put the pieces together and most importantly, stay focused, they'll get rings sized.

2. Gilman (5-1) - Despite losing Under Armour All-Americans Ryan Tucker (Virginia) and Conor Doyle (Notre Dame), the defending champions have reloaded and look strong from top to bottom. Some may call their early success a 'surprise' but that is an unrealistic term, as there is no program better at reloading year to year and vying for a ring than Gilman. Senior Gordie Koerber (Denver) has adjusted extremely well to be the man for the Hounds at attack while junior Max Greene, one of the nation's top uncommitted players, picked up where he left off in 2011. Jake Matthai (North Carolina) is a 6-foot-5 horse at the midfield and leads a remarkably deep midfield. However, the defense is the main strength - they look to be the top unit in the league. Robby Haus (Ohio State) has been a mainstay on Tech's backline but classmates Devin Tucker (Gettysburg) and T.J. Trusty have been superb so far. In between the pipes, Bryan Moore (Harvard) is a great athete and sound stopper. Just a hair behind the Cardinals in my opinion, Gilman will be a very, very difficult team to beat.
3. Loyola Blakefield (9-1) - Despite their 8-10 record last spring, most would agree that they wouldn't want to play the Dons in the playoffs had they made it. The seniors have matured and lead an excellent squad led by coach Jack Crawford. At attack, Conor Dalton (Fairfield) has developed into a big-time player alongside junior quarterback Devin McNamara (Villanova), an underrated commodity. The midfield is outstanding, led by Deemer Class, IL's No. 10 senior signed to Duke. T.J. Neubauer (Fairfield) accompanies Class well. On D, Matt Dunn (Maryland) looks to be healthy again after sitting out most of non-conference play and will lead a relatively inexperienced unit in front of second-year starter Chris Thomas (Denison). Bottom line - if the Dons' offense stay consistent and the D can keep teams off the scoreboard, they'll be competing for a title on May 18th.

4. Boys' Latin (7-4) - With just two seniors in contributing roles, the Lakers are young but have shown signs of promise at times. If they get more out of their top offensive players, they'll be in good shape. Top-ranked sophomore Shack Stanwick (Johns Hopkins) and junior Colin Heacock (Penn State) boost a strong attack. At midfield, juniors Ben Pridemore (Notre Dame) and Michael Lynch (Towson) work with Hopkins commit Tal Bruno, who has taken a giant step forward as a sophomore. Hunter Moreland (Johns Hopkins) and Bryan Lichtenauer (Ohio State) take face-offs. On defense, Mac Pons (Maryland) is a pure shutdown defenseman. In goal, juniors Kolby Caplin (Towson) and Christian Knight (Cornell) have been rotating for the most part. While most speculate that the Lakers may be a year away, the pieces are in place to make at least a semifinal run this spring.

5. St. Mary's (7-2) - The upstart Saints are usually hard to predict year to year but the talent at Rob Chomo's disposal is excellent yet often overlooked. At attack, Mike Bonacci (Yale) is the distributor, recently to freshman playmaker Timmy Hardy. Rumors are swirling that the Saints' top option, Nate Lewnes, is out for the season. At midfield, John Kluh (Villanova) is a stud and is very good at creating separation from his defender. Junior Skyler Morse leads a new look defense and is looking to build off of a breakout sophomore campaign. The Saints will go as far as their experience takes them and as they have been in recent years, a tough team in crunchtime.
6. McDonogh (4-4) - While the roster is comprised of seven freshmen and eight sophomores, the Eagles appear as though they'll be dangerous this spring. At attack, Evan Glaser (Michigan) headlines the show while freshman Robert Clark looks poised to break out. Sophomore Brinton Valis (Johns Hopkins) is a promising young midfielder with a great skillset while junior Austin Frederick (Villanova) is a talented feeder from the midfield. The defense is loaded with Division I talent in Danny Sweeney (Villanova), Geoff Davis (Denver) and sophomore Alex Hurdle (Notre Dame). In cage, junior Nick Doyle (Ohio State) has a great reputation and is a strong stopper. How the Eagles' youth handles a long season is TBD but you can never count out the Eagles.

7. Severn (11-1) - The Admirals, coached by four-time All American Brian Wood, have exceeded expectations thus far in 2012. Much of their schedule has been light, but several of their wins have been impressive. The attack is in good hands with Kyle Moran and Mike Dennin (Colgate). Paced by seniors Mark Cohen (UMBC) and Nick Manis, as well as talented junior Brett Bedard (North Carolina), the midfield is outstanding. The defense, held down by LSM Chase Brown (Michigan) will be a work of progress in front of goalie Ryan Frey. My guess is that the Admirals will surprise several teams with upset wins and heavily contend for a playoff spot.

8. St. Paul's (2-7) - 'Rebuilding' may not be the right term for the Crusies, but they're definitely struggling, as youth is abundant much more so than in the past. The coaches moved star Spencer Parks (North Carolina) from midfield to attack to keep him on the field longer. If his Crusies right the ship, his play will be a large reason why. Gavin Llewellyn (Hobart) is back after a shoulder injury and will be a big help. Young guns Casey Larkin, B.J. Matheiss and Carter Flaig have all had a bit of success. Travis Wood (Johns Hopkins), A.J. Fradkin longstick Michael Mayer (Georgetown) make up the defensive unit, while goalies Will Rego (Mt. St. Mary's) and sophomore Hunter Pearl (Penn State) rotate. It could either be a long season in Brooklandville or the Crusaders will contend for a playoff spot.

8 PLAYERS TO WATCH

Patrick Kelly - Calvert Hall, attack - North CarolinaThe lefty quarterback has been running the show for the Cardinals since his sophomore season. Ranked as the No. 7 Young Gun senior, Kelly is a complete attackman and serious Player of the Year candidate.

Stephen Kelly - Calvert Hall, F/O midfield - North Carolina A major catalyst for the Hall, Kelly had a remarkable 2011 campaign, winning 74% of his 300+ draws, scooping 184 groundballs and racking up 36 points. The junior is nearly impossible to gameplan against.

Evan Connell - Calvert Hall, defense - North Carolina The future Tar Heel is a huge piece of the puzzle for the Cardinals. Last year, Connell shut down most of the MIAA's top attackmen. He boasts excellent footwork, a strong stick and a great understanding of the defense.

Gordie Koerber - Gilman, attack - Denver A crafty lefty, Koerber scored on more than 50% of the shots he took in 2011, emerging as a big-time scorer. He's very good around the net, has a strong IQ and rides hard. Will be an All-American candidate.

Robby Haus - Gilman, defense - Ohio State The senior is in even better shape in 2012 and has taken a leap forward to become an elite defenseman. He plays remarkable position defense and does a great job in the clearing game, leading arguably the top D unit in the league.

Deemer Class - Loyola Blakefield, midfield - Duke An excellent athlete, the No. 10 Young Gun senior registered 32 goals and 25 assists as a junior. He possesses the best vision of any middie in recent memory and is a load in between the lines.

Mac Pons - Boys' Latin, defense - Maryland
Though not boasting ideal size for a defenseman, the junior is easily one of the best of the country. His stick is fantastic and footwork is exceptional - he's already shut down some of the best offensive players around. Could also really flourish at LSM if ever called upon.

Spencer Parks - St. Paul's, attack/midfield - North Carolina
Quite possibly the best player in the conference, Parks is highly capable of putting his team on his back at times. Last year, he racked up 37 goals and 17 assists. The No. 4 Young Gun senior is a threat from attack or the midfield.